


In Shadow

by witch_brew



Series: The Mask Series [1]
Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Biting, F/M, Fluff, Marking, More tags to be added, Older Sarah, Original Characters - Freeform, Sarah is an Adult, Smut, Sort Of, as well as some gratuitous porn, ask to tag, blatant misrepresentation of fae lore, chapter one is mostly just fluff and setting some stuff up, clean up tags later, it will probably get less mild later on, mildy kinky sex, sarah is like 22, sequel long awaited, these tags are useless at this point, things are probably gonna get angsty and violent later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:01:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22289056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witch_brew/pseuds/witch_brew
Summary: A year after Arcadia's defeat, Sarah and Jareth are finally married. But a new threat soon arises, and it may spell doom to not just them, but the entire Underground. On long term hiatus again Im sorry lol
Relationships: Jareth & Sarah Williams, Jareth/Sarah Williams
Series: The Mask Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1604380
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	In Shadow

**Author's Note:**

> HI HELLO YES. I hope some of you came from FF.net for this, but if not that's okay too. I understand it's been literal years since The Mask and y'all might've moved on a little bit. I've actually got an idea of the direction this one is supposed to go. As for my other readers, I'm going to update that Other Fic soon, as well as post chapter one of a different idea! Thank yall for sticking with me!

On the day of her wedding, Sarah woke up the same way she did when she was fully human, which was to say she woke up mildly disoriented, hair a tangled mess spread across her pillow. Since she preferred to sleep on her stomach, her face was resting on her folded arms, and based on the redness on said arms, she’d left a mark on her face from how hard she slept.

She was slightly surprised she’d slept so hard, actually, as she usually only went without dreaming after a late-night visit from Jareth. Which was funny, considering his previous offers to give her her dreams. 

  
  
She stumbled from her bed, silently saying goodbye to it, as after tonight’s wedding and subsequent coronation, she would be moving into Jareth’s personal rooms. She thought it was kind of medieval that she’d had to remain in her own rooms until then, but there was some chatter about tradition and she didn’t want a lecture so she kept quiet about her annoyance. Besides, Jareth had been sure to make many a visit to her bedroom late at night, catching her up quickly on all of the pleasures of the body she’d yet to experience.

She wandered over to the windows, pulling aside the curtains that kept the room in almost complete darkness, aside from the sliver of sun peeking through the gap. The room was bathed in a warm light then, early morning sun just peeking in. She glanced at one of the seven clocks in her rooms- Jareth and his ridiculous obsession with clocks- noting that the sun likely wasn’t even fully risen yet. 

  
  
Normally she’d be annoyed at that, as Sarah was anything but an early riser, but today? On the day of her wedding? She was grateful. High Queen Titiania and her personal entourage of servants were scheduled to arrive around seven-thirty, and she was going to have to endure lots of annoying wedding preparations, she knew. Maybe now she could get a head start, and enjoy her last few hours of solitude for the day, at least until Jareth whisks her away at the end of the night. 

  
  
Her cheeks flushed at the thought of what he might do to her. It had been several weeks since they’d had that sort of privacy, with the wedding planning being very time consuming, and Jareth’s mother and father being very eager to be involved. She bit her lip, thinking about all the things she wanted to do to him. And all the things she wanted him to do to her. 

She ended up shaking her head, laughing to herself as she forced her mind back on track. She needed to get herself bathed and rip the tangles from her hair before someone else tried to. Queen Titiania had been lucky the last time she forced a beauty routine on Sarah, in that Sarah could not speak. Now? The Champion doubted she’d be able to keep herself from swearing up a storm. 

  
  
She made her way into her bathroom, sighing under her breath as she braced herself before peering into the mirror. Oof. Yikes, it was worse than she thought. There was a red mark right across her cheek from where she’d had it pressed into her arm, another on her forehead from the other. Her hair is an absolute disaster, and she’s pretty sure there’s dried drool on her chin. She picks at it. Yep. She huffs out a breath, turning to the deep-set tub and tapping the stone edge three times in order to have it filled with warm water- always at the perfect heat, somehow. She upended several vials of magical oils into the bath, some would smooth her skin and others were just for scent. She tried not to go overboard this time- the first time she’d finally delved into them she used far too many. She did add one more before forcing herself to stop, a vial of what is basically liquid sunshine. It would give her skin a soft glow, she knew, and she’d need that. Maybe it would distract people from how nervous she was. 

  
  
She got into the bath after shedding her nightgown, soaking for a little bit before cleaning her skin and hair. After washing the hair she poured some detangling oils into it, working it through with her fingers in an effort to make combing it afterward easier. 

Once she’d washed, she relaxed a bit, letting her mind wander back a year- to the aftermath of Arcadia’s defeat. After her curse was ended, Sarah had gone to bed, asking Jareth to stay with her. The next morning they’d had sex, and Sarah later learned that, for Jareth, it was very gentle. Sarah had explained everything to him beforehand, and afterward, he’d asked her to be his wife. But Sarah had still had her own unanswered questions, questions that arose after she thought about some key differences between herself and the other victims of Arcadia she’d met- namely, Bliss and Clara. 

She’d asked Jareth about it, and he’d been just as confused about it as she was, stating that he’d always believed Arcadia could only act if a deal had been struck. That was part of why no one had interfered with her. She was a prison for the shadows, in a way, and Jareth’s parents had insisted that she be left alive unless something changed. 

  
  
With Sarah, something had changed. 

  
  
Sarah approached Titiania before she left to ask about it, and that’s where she got what she believed was her answer. 

  
  
“Ah, well, Arcadia alone could not have taken you without a deal. That is true.” The High Queen sighed, tilting her head. “But the shadows possessing her may have been able to.” 

Sarah stared at the High Queen, brow furrowing. 

  
  
“Oh… Do you know how?” 

  
  
Titiania smiled, giving a shrug. 

  
  
“I have my ideas. I believe that the shadows possessing her grew stronger, even as she grew weaker. They were draining her life force as well as her victims, most likely, and when she realized her time was running out, she decided to make one last-ditch effort to save her own skin. She still had Jareth on her twisted mind, of course, and that lead her to you, instead of someone else. She made a game of it, and that was likely her downfall. As for how she managed to curse you and bring you here, it was either her shadows or the fact that you've been here before and were therefore fae-touched. That might have made it easier for her to force you back.”

Sarah seemed to relax for a moment like that, before tensing again and frowning. 

  
  
“What… happened to her shadows, though? After she died?”

  
  
Titiania frowned, looking sharply at the future Goblin Queen, her pale eyes narrowed just a bit. 

  
  
“Clever girl. That’s what we need to worry about.”

Sarah shivered, not from the cold, before shaking herself from the memory. Nothing too concerning had happened since then, apart from rumors about something happening in the elve’s kingdom, and she’d ended up swept away in her romance after that anyway. And in preparing to become a monarch, apparently. 

She knew that she’d become a “full” fae after this, with the markings on her eyes to prove it, and wondered how the transition would feel. She’d not been here as long as Bliss or Clara, so she was still a bit more human than either of them, though not human enough to return above ground. 

She groaned a little. Today was bound to be intense, and she was almost out of time to relax, but still, her mind wandered into stressful territory. She needed to calm down. The water was still nice and warm- it never cooled- but she likely couldn’t force herself to relax anymore. Time was ticking. 

She didn’t want to get out, but a glance at the clock- yes, there was a clock in the damn bathroom- told her she needed to go ahead and force herself out to finish before Titiania arrived. So with another heavy sigh, she did just that. She yanked a brush through her hair, the oils defeating the worst of the tangles for her, and washed her face before emerging from the bathroom. 

She dressed in something easy to remove, knowing she’d be forced into a wedding gown soon enough anyway, before making her way into the sitting room next to her bedroom. 

Someone had already dropped off a light breakfast, eggs and toast with a cup of calming tea- Jareth had insisted she not drink coffee before the wedding, knowing it would only make her nerves that much worse. 

Sarah ate, and at seven-thirty on the dot, there was a knock on her door. She groaned a little, walking over and opening it. 

  
  
There stood the High Queen herself, head tilted curiously at Sarah. 

  
  
“You were already awake? Impressive.” She said, smiling warmly to enforce the fact that she was trying to be humorous. 

  
  
Her brilliantly silver hair was twisted on top of her head, pinned in place with a stick that appeared to be made of diamond, but she was still in a robe. Her silver markings glittered. Fae never needed eye makeup. 

  
  
“I guess my body was too excited to sleep?” Sarah managed, stepping out into the hall and letting the door close itself behind her. 

The walk to the High Queen’s rooms was brief since Sarah’s rooms had been moved closer to Jareth’s after she accepted his proposal, and when they stepped in, a small child launched herself at Sarah, arms wrapped snugly around her waist and face buried in her stomach. 

  
  
“Oh! Hey, Bliss,” Sarah grunted, taken aback at the impossible level of energy that early in the morning. 

Bliss jumped back, grinning up at Sarah. 

  
  
“Today’s the day! Aren’t you excited? Oh, how can you not be with as big of a day as it is! You’re going to be a queen! And married too! That’s so amazing, I can’t believe it, I’m so happy you didn’t die-”

She rambles on as Titiania pulls Sarah over to the vanity and sits her down, gesturing for her ladies to get to work. Sarah’s hair is pinned back to allow them access to her face, and she knows they’ll be putting temporary fae markings on with makeup, along with just generally applying it, but she’s already tuning out. She’s sure the queen will get her attention if any input is actually needed, but it most likely isn’t going to be until the end. 

Auberon enters at some point, chuckling a little when Sarah gives him a pleading look and giving a negative shake of his head. 

  
  
“Good morrow, Sarah, just grabbing something. Going to take Jareth on a hunt before it gets too close to the ceremony, give him some words of wisdom and all that. Trust Titiania, you’re in good hands with her; child.” He says, giving a firm pat on her shoulder. 

  
  
He gives his queen a loving kiss before ducking deeper into their rooms, emerging a short time later with a bag slung over his shoulder, which was now covered in a thick fur. 

“Make sure you've cleaned and dressed appropriately at least thirty minutes before the ceremony,” Titiania says, in a tone that clearly means business. 

  
  
Auberon smiles warmly, nodding as he heads out. 

Bliss is eventually also guided to a chair by the ladies doing Sarah’s face. She took less time, being a nine-year-old- she could age again now, luckily, but aged at a rate normal for fae kids instead of human children, which meant she’d likely be a child for a while yet and was technically probably still physically eight, but she insisted they count the years from now on. Sarah was positive she just wanted an excuse to have birthday parties. They dusted a gold sheen onto her cheeks and lips before weaving strands of what Sarah thought might be actual gold through her hair. When they pulled her away to put her in her dress Sarah saw a flash of gold from that too. Seems they had a theme for the kid. 

  
  
Sarah hummed a little, wondering what her brother would think of all of this. He was the same age as Bliss, just about, eight years old. She hadn’t seen him in over a month now and wondered how he was getting on. He was a smart kid if a little odd. Not as odd as Sarah had been, with her head in the clouds, but fae touched is fae touched and it made him a little bit different from other kids. Just a bit quieter, a bit more thoughtful than an eight-year-old boy really had any right to be. 

Their last visit had been quite fun, with Sarah regaling him with only slightly tall tales of her “adventures” in fae wedding preparation. She made it sound fun, of course, because it would have bored him to death if she was completely factual with it. 

  
  
Sarah’s dad thought she’d moved abroad, which was fine. It made things easier, considering how no-nonsense he’d always been. 

  
  
As Sarah’s mind wandered, she recalled a different family reunion and felt her mood turn slightly melancholy.

“I don’t think I will,” Clara said, knees pulled against her chest. She’d gained back some weight, no longer looking like a ghost of a girl instead of the young teenager she should be. 

Except for her eyes. They were still so haunted. 

Sarah had asked when she’d want to visit her family, let them know where she went. Jareth had said that as long as they handled it well, he didn’t mind letting them keep the memory. If not, he could make it seem like a dream. 

“Why not?” She asked, settling onto the bed beside the teen. 

“I… I’m so different now, you know? The things she did… the things she made me do… I don’t think I could face them now.” She whispered, staring down at her fingers. She was a nail biter, even now, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been before. 

  
  
“Oh, Clara....” Sarah whispered, “You know they’d never stop loving you, right? I think… you should at least give them some closure.” 

Clara looked up at her, and sighed, nodding. 

Hours later Clara was outside her door, dressed like a normal teenager, with Jareth close by to remove her quickly if needed. Sarah watched through a crystal. 

Clara had knocked, and when the door opened she looked so nervous. 

  
  
“D-dad… I….” And then she just started crying. 

Her dad looked stricken for a moment before throwing his arms around his daughter, clinging to her tightly. Clara went inside, explained things to her parents. She showed them a crystal, showed them how to use it. They didn’t believe her at first, but when she called Jareth in, things seemed to shift in her favor. He changed their mirrors to be a sort of two way situation before they left. 

From what Sarah understood, Clara’s parents half thought they were dreaming the next day until they tried the mirrors. 

Things had improved there, but it was still sad. Because she couldn’t be with them. She claimed to prefer it that way though because she wasn’t sure she could be a normal teenager after all she had been through. Sarah understood that feeling, at least. 

“Sarah!” Titiania called, shaking Sarah from her reminiscing. 

She looked up, startled, and instantly had her head turned towards the mirror. 

  
  
“We were asking what you thought.”

She blinked, before looking into the mirror. 

“Oh.” She said. And then, again, breathlessly, “Oh.” 

Sarah hardly recognized herself at first. Her hair was pulled back, partially braided in a way that exposed her face and somehow managed to accentuate the angles of it. Her cheekbones were dusted with silver, made more prominent by a well-placed contour, her lips dark red with a silver shimmer dusted on top. Her thick eyebrows were tamed, eyelashes thick and full beneath them. And her eyes? Silver and black markings made the green strikingly prominent, and she stared at herself in shock. The longer she looked, though, the more of herself she saw there, even if she was still slightly unsettled by how unfamiliar she looked. 

“Now your dress,” Titiania says, seemingly satisfied with Sarah’s stunned amazement. 

The dress was not your traditional wedding dress by any means. It was form-fitting, and a deep red, nearly black, that only got darker as it went down, becoming a full black at the bottom where it fanned out behind her. The skirt of the dress flowed in a way Sarah had never really seen fabric do outside of carefully staged photographs aboveground, but it seemed natural here. The neckline was a deep V, with long sleeves that transitioned into black lace at the forearms and ended at her wrists. Her hands were placed in black gloves, silk. There was a slit up the thigh of the dress, because of course there was, and Sarah was relieved that she’d shaved her legs recently enough, though she was sure Titiania would’ve taken care of that if it was an issue. There was a black belt looped around her waist, also silk and the back of the dress was longer than the front so that it trailed behind her. That part, which was the deepest black of the entire ensemble, had what appeared to be stars dusted across it. They were actually twinkling. Her feet were placed in black heels that shimmered, but they didn’t seem too important, being hidden beneath the dress.

They accented her dress with silver jewelry to match her makeup but strangely left her neck bare instead of her head. She’d expected her head to be left bare for the crowning, but instead, it was decorated with silver and rubies. 

When Sarah looked into the mirror again, she saw a queen. 

“Oh.” She breathed, once again, and the High Queen laughed. 

“Alright dear, let us all get ready now, you can sit over there.”

Sometime later, Bliss and the servants left the room, heading to the throne room, where the wedding and coronation was to take place shortly. Titiania was waiting with Sarah for Jareth to arrive. Sarah knew a little bit about how this part was to happen. Titiania would enter with King Auberon once the guests were all seated, and then Jareth and Sarah would be announced and would enter together. From there it was mostly just answering the High King's questions, getting crowned, and bam. Married and a queen, all at once, and they get to move on to the party. 

Sarah hoped this party went better than the last one she’d gone to, and laughed a bit at her dark humor, earning a curious glance from Titiania. 

A crystal sitting on the table beside them began to glow, and the High Queen let out a hum.

“It’s time to go and meet your groom.” She said, smiling softly. “I am pleased to have you become my daughter, Sarah.” 

  
  
Sarah blushes lightly, and the fae queen laughs before magicking them to the entrance of the throne room, where Jareth awaited them. 

He turned when they appeared behind him, dressed in his full regalia, and his eyes widened as he took Sarah in, lips parted slightly. He looked stunned, and also like he was moments away from taking her to his rooms and ravishing her. 

Titiania tapped his shoulder. 

  
  
“Time for that later, my son, you’ve got to get her crowned first.” She tutted before Auberon appeared and took her arm. The swell of voices inside the throne room quieted as Sarah heard the High Court being announced, and the two royals enter. 

“They’ll be doing a speech now, then we’ll enter. You remember what to do?”

  
  
Sarah nodded, taking a deep, steadying breath before giving Jareth a loving smile. 

“My kingdom as great and all that.” She said, and they fell into a short silence until they were announced. Sarah placed her arm in the crook of Jareth’s, and the doors parted for them to step in. 

Sarah couldn’t really take in many faces right then, too focused on not somehow tripping or otherwise making a fool of herself in front of the entire larger fae kingdom. 

Once they reach the front, the king gestures, and Jareth releases her arm. He kneels in front of his father, and Sarah kneels beside him. 

“Jareth, King of the Goblins and Prince of the High Court,” Auberon begins, voice regal and booming for all to hear, “You have chosen your Champion, Sarah Williams, to become your bride and Queen, to rule the goblin kingdom by your side. Today you have asked us, High Queen and High King of the fae realm, to crown her as such. Do these statements hold true?”

  
  
“Yes, my king.”

  
  
“Very well,” Auberon says, before turning to face Sarah. “Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth, you are today to be crowned Queen of the Goblin Kingdom, to rule by King Jareth’s side as his bride. Do you accept this title and all responsibilities that accompany it?”

  
  
Sarah takes a breath and lets it go. 

“Yes, my king.” She says, voice steady. 

“You shall become a true higher fae, and shall gain the markings to prove it, but must sacrifice what remains of your humanity forevermore. There is no undoing what shall be done. Do you accept this?”

  
  
“Yes, my king.” 

He smiles slightly. 

“Then I shall crown you Queen of the Goblins. Child, please bring forth her crown.”

Sarah looked up, expecting Bliss, but was startled to see Bliss stood at Titiania’s side, not Auberon’s. Instead, a small boy stepped out. His hair was dirty blonde, eyes big and blue, and Sarah had to force herself not to cry out in joy. She beamed at him as he stepped forward, holding a wooden box. 

Auberon opened the box Toby held, pulling out a pendant. It looked like the one Jareth always wore, and Sarah suddenly understood why her neck had been left bare. 

Bliss darted down to help hold Sarah’s hair back, and Auberon placed the pendant around Sarah’s neck. 

They stood then, turning to face each other, and Jareth reached out to place a cupped palm over the pendant where it rested right above Sarah’s cleavage. She felt the warmth of magic pouring into it, and into her. 

“I present to you all,” Auberon said then, turning Sarah to face the room. Jareth turned as well. “Queen Sarah!” 

The crowd erupted into cheering, which made Sarah flush and smile shyly, and then Auberon announced that they’d all be moving to the ballroom via crystal for the party. Sarah turned once people began to vanish, scooping Toby into a hug. 

  
  
“I didn’t expect you!” She said, grinning at him. He smiled back, and she felt her heart swell with fondness at the small gap between his teeth and the dimples in his cheeks. 

  
  
“King Jareth came and got me!” He said, smoothing his gold suit. He and Bliss matched. 

“I’ll be taking him back after the party, but I thought it would be nice for him to meet Bliss, she could use friends her age.” Jareth murmured in Sarah’s ear. She couldn’t help but agree. 

They made their way to the ballroom then, Toby taking turns between rambling at Sarah and asking Bliss questions. He talked about how cool everyone here was, and how much he wished he could stay longer than just a few hours, and how Bliss should come to see him ‘up top’ sometime. 

Once they reached the ballroom, the two kids took off towards a table laden with sugary treats, and Sarah chuckled a little. She noticed Clara keeping a watchful eye on the two already, the teenager nervously plucking at the sleeves of her blue dress, and smiled warmly in approval.

Jareth guided her to a food-laden table first, and she was thankful they got to eat before they had to dance. 

She hadn’t eaten since very early that morning and was honestly ravenous. Things were set up in a sort of buffet-style this time, which Sarah was fine with. She let Jareth fill her plate as she listened to the chatter around her. 

“....defeated the Labyrinth as a child, you know.” 

“Yes, and then managed to defeat Arcadia while still human. Quite impressive.”

  
  
“Did you hear? There’s been rumor in Queen Galadriel’s court that-” - the noise swelled here, and Sarah missed a bit.

“Oh! I knew I felt a great change coming.”

  
  
“With that much skin showing? I have no doubt.”

  
Sarah stifled a laugh as Jareth returned with their plates and guided her to a table. He knew well by now what Sarah enjoyed eating, and had picked out mostly her favorites, and a few he was certain she’d enjoy trying. 

Sarah ate quietly for a bit, savoring the peaceful moment. Jareth reached out and placed his hands- gloved in leather- over her silk covered ones. 

“You’ll probably need to wear gloves often.” He says, quietly. “I have no doubt your magic will be strong and wild, as it’s an extension of the fae who wields it.”

She smiles slightly, thinking a bit about his own magic, so strong that she could feel it on his skin if he removed his gloves. It was electric, borderline painful when his control slipped in more heated moments, but she found it thrilling in a good way. It never scared her. She didn’t think he was capable of hurting her, even before she joined him as a fae, finally on equal footing.

“Jareth?” Sarah began, setting down the glass she’d been sipping on. 

Her husband- she felt like a middle schooler with how that word made her feel- looked up at her, arching an eyebrow. His mismatched eyes, one blue and one brown- the brown one had a permanently dilated pupil- looked her over again before a small smirk played on his lips. 

“Yes, precious?”

“Let’s dance.” She purred, rising to take his hand. 

He followed her out to the floor, and they danced easily. Time passed, as it tends to, and they held each other through song after song, briefly splitting for Jareth to twirl Bliss around, while Sarah danced with Toby. At one point Sarah found herself dancing with the High King, and it was awkward, with him attempting to joke about grandkids already. 

But still, in the end, she found herself in Jareth’s arms once more. He told her he’d taken Toby home while she danced with his father, as the child was beginning to look quite tired. Bliss had also retired for the night, and Sarah realized in a distracted sort of way that it must be getting late, but she wasn’t ready to leave just yet. She enjoyed dancing with him too much. They worked their way through a slow song, one of many that had played throughout the night, and then, just before the clock struck thirteen, the music shifted abruptly, picking up speed and becoming a little…. More sensual.

“You remember your dance lessons, precious?” Jareth whispered in her ear, sounding gleeful. 

Sarah flushed. “Seriously? Here? In front of your parents??”

He chuckled darkly, nodding against her neck.

“What bride doesn’t need some embarrassment on her wedding night?”

Sarah narrowed her eyes. Oh, he wanted to play that game? Fine then. 

She remembered the dance, of course, that he was referencing. She took his hands in hers and began to move. She pressed herself close against him, raising their entwined hands in the air as she let her hips sway. She kept a grip of one hand as she twirled around him, circling her free arm around his waist as she pressed her chest into his back, one hand trailing down his chest. She twirled and ducked around him, hips in constant motion, sliding one hand along his body the whole time. At one point she slid down his front, her back facing him, fingers loosely gripping his, before flipping her hair back as she rose and spun to face him, flashing a smirk at his facial expression. When the music began to taper off, she faced him once again and tapped his shoulder like she remembered, sending him to his knees. He stared up at her, face raw. 

And then, as those watching began to clap for the couple, he stood, wrapping his arms around her waist, and they disappeared from the ballroom. 

They appeared in his room, Jareth’s trembling hands releasing her for a moment so he could tear his gloves off with his teeth. 

He backed her against the door then, one hand burying itself in her hair and pulling just hard enough that her head was forced to tilt back, neck bared to him. He nibbled there, briefly, before biting down where her shoulder met her neck. He’d bitten her before, but never hard enough to break the skin. Until right then.

She cried out, caught somewhere between pain and pleasure. His other hand was already inside her dress, cupping her right breast. Magic, his magic, raced over her skin everywhere it had direct contact with him, nearly electric. Her breathing deepened, cheeks flushing, and she helped him shed her dress, wanting to be less clothed despite how regal the outfit felt. Once her breasts were revealed- couldn’t exactly wear a bra with a neckline as low as that one- Jareth thoroughly distracted himself, fingers working her right nipple as his mouth worked its way down to her left. His hand released her hair, only to find itself wrapped around her neck, not squeezing just yet. But the threat, no, promise? It’s there. 

Sarah moans, head tilting back further as his hand leaves her breast, trailing down to dip between her thighs. His thumb rolls over her clit, setting up a fast rhythm once finding her already quite wet just from the combination of his rough treatment and the anticipation. 

Two fingers pushed into her entrance, curling upwards already. 

His mouth released her nipple long enough for him to growl. 

“Do not cum.”

And then the bastard doubled his efforts, seemingly wanting her to disobey. 

She couldn’t keep her voice quiet and was thankful for the fact that most rooms in the castle were magically soundproofed. His fingers were brutal, and he kept biting her chest. His hand on her throat began to squeeze, slowly cutting off her air supply, and as her vision blurred he lifted his face, leaning in close to her ear. 

“Now, precious.”

She came seconds later, jerking in his grip. At some point during what had to be the most intense orgasm of her life, he released her throat, thankfully, though his fingers kept fucking her throughout the orgasm. 

The second her eyes were sort of focused again, he scooped her up, hands cupping her ass as her arms came to wrap around his shoulders. She wasn’t sure when he’d undone his pants- or removed most of his outer layers actually- but she felt the heat of him pressing against her entrance, and shivered slightly at the sensation, still so sensitive. 

“ _Mine_.” He whispered into her ear, and he thrust forward, sheathing himself deep inside of her in a single thrust. 

The pace he set up was brutal, her nails digging into his back as he rammed into her. She felt like she might die from this, but oh, what a death. Everything was almost too much, the abruptness of all of it keeping her so close to overstimulated without it actually being painful. She was positive she felt his magic stronger than before, or maybe he just wasn’t holding it back as much now that she was strong enough to take it. Either way, it felt strange but amazing against her skin, little shocks racing through her everywhere they were connected. Including where he was buried inside of her. 

Her brain was fogged, another orgasm creeping up on her already, and the feeling of the wood slowly heating on her back as her head bumps against it with each thrust is the only thing keeping her from completely losing herself in the intensity of his lovemaking. If it could even be called that at this point. But, oh, how he loved her. And how she loved him. She’d bear his marks on every inch of her body if she could.

And then a thought hit her like a freight train, something that would make her smirk if she was capable of any facial expression other than one of unhinged pleasure. They were equals, were they not? If she bore his marks, it was only fair that he should bear hers. 

She didn’t think she’d last much longer, and based on the way his thrusts were beginning to go from controlled and brutal to erratic and… still brutal made her think maybe he was closing in on his end too. 

Right as she fell over that edge, clenching around him, she leaned forward and bit down on his shoulder, hard, and he let out a sound that was nearly inhuman, fingers gripping her ass so hard she was certain they’d leave bruises, as he hilted himself once more and came undone within the warm embrace of her inner walls. 

He did not remove himself or set her down as he backed away from the door and collapsed backwards onto the bed, still breathing heavily.

She remained stationary for a few minutes, allowing her heart rate to calm and her brain to clear of the pleasure induced fog he’d put her in, before rolling off of him with a small groan, curling into his side and trying not to make a face at the sensation of fluids leaking out of her without him inside her to keep it mostly sealed within. 

He turns his head slightly, looking at her with a slightly raised eyebrow and an expression that said she’d definitely done something right. 

“You bit me first.” She said, trying to stifle a breathless giggle. “I was just returning the favor, fair’s fair.”

“Ah,” Jareth sighed, “Still trying to make everything fair, then?”

  
  
She rolled her eyes, trying to dismiss the weird giddy feeling in her chest. She didn’t want to start acting like a dork right after such mind-blowing sex. 

“You liked it.” She teased, instead of saying something that would embarrass her later.

He huffed a laugh. 

“You’re always so full of surprises, Sarah.” He sighed, turning on his side and pulling her close against his chest.

She realized suddenly how tired the long day had made her, forcing herself not to glance at the clock. It was most definitely late as hell, and she’d been up with the sun, so she felt like now would be a good time to sleep. 

As she began to drift off, she mumbled something into Jareth’s chest, barely aware she was saying it. 

She felt him smile into her hair, and before she slid into a dream she heard him respond.

“I love you too, precious thing.”

* * *

The next day Sarah was woken by morning light filtering in through Jareth’s windows, which told her at once that he’d already left for the day. She knew she’d have a few days of peace with him after today, at least. He just had to bid farewell to the remaining guests. She was surprised she wasn’t required to do that with him, but maybe he’d let her sleep in because she’d had such a long day the day before. 

Either way, Sarah slipped from the bed, testing herself for soreness after the events of the night before. Nothing too bad, just some achiness in her thighs from trying to ensure she didn’t fall when she was being more or less suspended against the door. She probably hadn’t needed to do that, to be honest, she was certain Jareth had it covered, but human habits die hard. Apart from general muscle soreness, the bites smarted a bit, but nothing too serious. 

She made her way into the bathroom to start her morning routine, almost glad for her lack of clothes. It meant she didn’t have to strip down for her bath. 

It wasn’t until she was washing her face in the mirror that Sarah noticed the markings on her eyes. They were quite similar to the ones Titiania had placed the day before, mostly silver but darkening to a smoky gray the closer they got to her actual eyes. She was startled by them but found that with her hair not done up, and no actual makeup on her face, she felt a lot more herself than she had during the wedding. Not much had changed, really, aside from her face looking ever so slightly more angular, and a slight point forming in her ears. She was happy with that. She didn’t want to stop feeling like, well, her. Sarah. She never wanted to forget her humanity, even if she’d left it behind. 

She left the bathroom eventually, dressing in a soft and simple green dress that laced up in the front with a black ribbon. There wasn’t much she could do to hide the bite on her neck, none of her dresses would cover that much skin. She slipped her feet into flat black shoes before stepping out into the halls, deciding to wander a bit. 

She wandered without thinking, for once not really caring where she ended up. So, of course, she ended up in front of a door that was familiar, but that she had not seen in a very long time. She’d been there once before, with Bliss. The room of lost things. The door looked like it belonged in a forest rather than a castle, and Sarah was startled to see it was cracked open, just a bit. 

She paused, weighing her options. And then, ever curious, Sarah pushed the door open wide and entered the room. 

It was colder than she remembered, and darker, less inviting. What little light entered from the doorway caught on the glass windchimes hovering high above her head as she entered, and she found it odd how quiet it was. Usually, the chimes rang to a breeze that did not exist. Broken mirrors lined the walls, and Sarah could just barely make herself out in them as she stepped deeper into the room. And deeper. Until she felt something crunch beneath her foot. 

Thankful she’d worn shoes, Sarah stepped back and crouched down low, picking up a piece of cold porcelain, eyebrows furrowing as she tried to figure out what exactly she’d stepped on. 

But before she could figure it out, the sound of something moving towards her caught her attention. She rose quickly, subtly slipping the piece she’d grabbed into the pocket of her dress before calling out. 

“Who’s there?”

A… man stepped forwards from the shadows. Or at least, Sarah thought it was a man. It was shaped like one.

The creature wore armor that seemed to be made of bones, covering most of his body, but Sarah could clearly see he was not human, nor was he any fae she’d ever seen before. His body, where it peeked through the cracks, was made of inky black shadow. Sarah felt her heart begin to race. Shadows writhed at his feet as he stepped forwards, and she realized he was holding something in his hands, which were also made of shadow. He rose the object to where his face would be, and it attached, and Sarah felt her heart stopped. 

There, full of cracks but holding together somehow, was her mask. From when Arcadia had cursed her. Had nearly killed her. 

Inky smoke seeped through the fractures, sealing them somehow before he began to stalk towards her. She stumbled back, tripping over a broken rocking horse to land hard on her ass, but he hardly paid her any mind, stooping down to where she’d just been standing and picking something up.

It wasn’t until he added another piece to the mask that Sarah realized what she had stepped on. What she currently had in her pocket. He stood, looking around briefly on the floor as Sarah slowly climbed to her feet. She began to back away, slowly, and when he looked up at her suddenly she turned and ran. 

He was on her in seconds, tackling her to the ground with brute force. 

“ ** _WHERE IS IT_**?” A voice seemed to roar from within her own head. Sarah’s hands flew to her ears, and she felt warm blood begin to leak from her nose. 

He reached out a hand to grab her throat, and then reeled back with an unholy screech when the pendant around her neck- her crown- abruptly emitted a bright, blinding light. He staggered back, and Sarah scooted back as well, scrambling to get away from him before the light faded. But there was no need for that, as Jareth was already rushing past her, flinging a crystal that burst into an equally bright explosion of pure light. 

The creature screeched once more before turning and fleeing into the shadows. Moments later the room seemed to grow warmer and brighter, and Sarah released a breath she had not realized she’d been holding. He’d gone.

Jareth turned to her, checking her over for damage in a panicked state, before pulling her from the room and shutting the door. He was pale, shaken, and silent for a long moment. 

“We’ll need to go speak with my parents at once. Hopefully, Queen Galadriel has not left yet either.” He said, voice weak.

He almost sounded… scared. Sarah felt herself growing nervous. 

“Jareth? What… was that?”

He looked at her, and he looked stricken. Almost ill. 

“I believe, Sarah, that you’ve just met something made of pure evil.”


End file.
